Glancing-Pad
the Mind-Computer Communication Technology

Symbol encoding Apparatus and Method, United States Patent No.: 7,038,659


Keywords: glance pad, glancing fingers, text input, sweep, flick text, keyboard, alternative keyboard, input tablet.

E-mail: yanooshray@gmail.com


Though computer technology has evolved at a startling rate in recent years, the way we communicate with our systems still remains inefficient and antiquated. Keyboards and mice force us to stay stuck in front of our computer screens at all times, and Blackberries, cell phones and PDAs do nothing more than create ergonomic nightmares. It poses the question: Is there any biological or technological barrier impeding advancements in the communication technology?

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The need for new ways to communicate with the emerging digital universe is enormous and urgent. Following the trendsetting I-Phone, gestures are now in vogue. My invention, however, goes beyond the simple screen navigational functionality of gestures. I am offering a technology for data entry ideally suited for mobile computers and communication devices - that is already ahead of gesturing.

In fact Glancing Pad is more than an improvement over any existing keypad/touch screen/gesture operation, it is an entirely new concept. It is designed for text input just like any keyboard, except that it is operated with one hand. There is no locating which keys to punch: THERE ARE NO KEYS.

Data is produced with simple patterned fingertip motions over a plain surface.

Being aware of recent developments in neuro-technology, one could imagine that we are destined to communicate one day with the help of some sort of brain implant. I believe before such a future materializes, we will be expressing ourselves in an entirely new way - by glancing.

Speech, of course, will always remain our primary means of interpersonal communication. However, interfacing speech to the digital domain is not easy: Because different pronunciations, accents, dialects and languages exist, it differs with each user. Disregarding those and other limitations of the speech recognition technology, many 'experts' believe strongly in its future, and turn a blind eye to any alternative solution. They are making a big mistake.

Glancing promises to be as intuitive and effortless as speech - in fact, it can even be considered a twin of speech. Speech is a product of muscular activity of the vocal apparatus controlled by the language area of the brain. Glancing relies on the same circuitry, however, it diverts the output to control the muscles of the hand. Because of anatomical and functional closeness between these brain operations, and because of the extreme dexterity of the hand, learning to use Glance-Pad may be as easy and natural as learning to talk, and when mastered glancing may be as simple and efficient as speech.

The simplicity and efficiency of glancing and speech is what differentiates these communication methods from other media, such as typing or sign language, for example, which tend to be little more than crude communication devices that require slow and excessively powerful motions to encode letters or other symbols. Glancing, on the other hand, requires only tiny finger movements to produce high speed communication and expend far less effort, without fatigue or wear on tissues.

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The unique design of Glancing Pad allows for speed unattainable with many bi-manual and all uni-manual designs, especially chording keyboards. The basic strengths which set Glancing Pad ahead of other interfaces are:

1. free-ranged motions, which are self-referenced (not key-referenced);
2. motions which are designed to directly generate rudimentary symbols;
3. motions which are bio-mechanically natural;
4. motions which are ergonomic. Small range, no wasted activity to reposition fingers before every new symbol, make glancing extremely fast and efficient.

Glancing dramatically broadens the spectrum of hand motions that are suitable for encoding. In the future, by integrating actions of glancing, chording and gesturing, communication with computers will reach entirely new levels of efficiency and convenience.

Glancing Pad as an Autonomous Universal Personal Communicator

Think about it: there is really no need for every microprocessor controlled device to have a built-in data input interface? Instead, each user would carry a universal data input device within easy reach in a pocket or attached to a garment.

Glancing Pad is a perfect candidate for this role; it has been designed to be used separately from the devices it controls, and it has utilitarian advantages unmatched by any other device today - it is fantastically easy to operate and fast.

I envision Glancing Pad being carried around by everyone, everywhere, all the time. Glancing Pad will be used to open the door, communicate remotely with computers at work, or with a wearable computer on the go, to write a report or a lenghty memoir, to control audio/video equipment, a cell phone, a game box, security circuits, car electronics, a robot, home automation, etc. It would work with any device ready to receive the standardized controlling input from the pad. Think of a TV remote controller -- operated sightlessly, endowed with universal applicability, with secure data encryption and the exclusive responsivity to the owner. Think of a keypad in your pocket. Think of Freedom.

In the following texts I examine the entire concept in detail. The technical docunemtation is available as U.S. Patent No.: 7,038,659.I would greatly appreciate any feedback: criticism and corrections as well as the encouragements and advice. My email address is:

yanooshray@gmail.com

Summary

Glancing-Pad is an innovative device used for generating symbols that are primarily intended for communicating with computer, for writing and generating speech. To work it, a user performs a set of pre-established glancing motions over and onto a pad that is capable of tracking the position and touch of each of the user’s fingers. A simple mental template serves to guide encoding motions, which result in finger motions that conform to the biomechanical capabilities of the hand and make movements “natural” in feel and “effortless” to perform. When the user intuitively follows this motion template with a finger, it produces an unrestricted-but-unique trajectory that is detected and decoded by Glancing-Pad and then assigned a pattern. Patterns are differentiated by the various approach and touch trajectories made by the user when glancing. Each glancing pattern is unique and is used to define a symbol; each finger of the hand encodes a different set of symbols. Movements encoding consecutive symbols morph into fluid, continuous finger activity reminiscent of relaxed tickling motions. Glancing motions are scaleable and may occur anywhere within Glancing-Pad’s boundary. As a result of short range and swiftness of movements, glancing develops into fast, instinctive performance that gives single-hand operation better encoding agility than standard two-handed operation of a keyboard -- as well as a superior ergonomic advantage.

How does it work?

Motion-path detector (Glancing-Pad) tracks discrete glancing motions of four fingertips over the pad surface. Hand is not bound by device's configuration (no keys to activate), and encoding can take place anywhere within the pad boundary.

The device is simple, inexpensive to build, and easy to use.

There is no force applied, just wiggly motions of fingers and gentle touches. The animation on the right appears to exaggerate vertical punches, but there is a substantial and important horizontal component to each motion. Each glance combines a glide above (pad-parallel motion), and a touch to the pad. Those motions may be as broad as required by the condition, but scaling down the motion range will boost the speed and efficiency of encoding. Glancing-pad offers enormous gain in performance through improved economy of motion.
more about how a finger glide and touch encodes symbols

The rule of encoding

The glancing motion is easy, guided by a simple rule to move fingertips along the side of an imaginary rectangle, with the purpose to indicate the side and direction. Decoder associates a symbol with a side-indicating segment of the motion track.

Touch plays a crucial, and double, role in Glancing Pad operation; the very touch that generates symbols makes the sensory apparatus of the hand to feed back to the brain the information about the touch. Such information allows for precise adjustment of the motion trajectory, and of distance at which each finger glides above the pad. Altogether, hand motions both actuate the device and make us feel the action.

Motion track of two fingers

(this example illustrates the encoding of three symbols)

Motions traced on the right occur synchronously. Notice that both motion traces are similar, and that touch 2 of finger 2 follows touch 1 and precedes touch 3 of finger 1.

With practice the initially broad glancing motion gets reduced to a mini-glance, improving the speed of encoding (shorter motions are faster).

A small contrasted dot at the tip of each finger (detectable by the pad) may help to reliably trace such diminutive motions; pudgy fingers - no problem!

more about mini-gestures

Assigning symbols to glances

In my patent application, glances were assigned letters of the alphabet in the simplest, most orderly manner, because I believe that the ultimate standards of symbol assignment may only emerge with practice.

These new standards and rules of encoding need not be excessively strict; they should reflect individual styles and preferences. Glancing Pad will be a uniquely personalized tool.

Keyboard is king, but not for long

Current methods incapacitate us and prohibit us from producing easy, effective communication. Handwriting is slow and requires us to have a pen, paper and flat steady surface available at all times. Keyboards need to be connected to a computer and require us to sit within reach. Speech-recognition devices produce unreliable results and often fail to work in noisy environments. By recognizing that our fingers can be trained to convey a language, not unlike our vocal cords, Glancing-Pad opens new avenues of completely portable communication. Glancing is done with unmatched ease. There are no bulky gadgets to carry, no postural adjustments to make, no visual demands to meet, no keys to search for or press. Encoding is performed through the natural feeling and relaxed motions of one’s fingers and involves the use of only one hand. Just reach out to wherever the pad is located and run your fingers over its surface. That’s all. There are no damaging hand motions or strain. Effortless. Ergonomic. Fast. Portable. Unobtrusive. Noiseless. Instinctive. People might be reluctant to learn the new techniques needed to operate the Glancing-Pad. However, even this poses no great challenge. Dexterity will easily be attained due to ease of operation and positive feedback, two essential factors in training of a new skill. Glancing-Pad makes use of a unique symbol encoding system that might just be the simplest method of communication devised to date. Glancing-Pad, which will be of great benefit also to the gaming industry, can be mastered by playing games. Once mastered, you will see that Glancing-Pad’s encoding moves are minuscule in range and resulting in high-speed and virtually effortless operation.

Have you ever wanted to take a note while driving on a highway? Or while sitting on a bench in the park, or jogging, or in the concert hall or a movie theater, or while having a great idea just before falling asleep? Glancing-Pad is the answer. It’s perfect for taking quick notes, or writing volumes, and it allows you to accomplish both without changing the position of your body. It’s also ideal for communication taking place in crowded and noisy environments, like a stock market. Glancing-Pad will replace any other type of input devices. It can be used as a fast command-style browser to speed up on-screen operations. It can emulate a computer’s touch pad to navigate a cursor. Even when not connected to a PDA or laptop, the intelligent Glancing-Pad can serve as an autonomous note taker, code generator and even as a computer. And of course, it’s a perfect companion to a wearable computer. Or a palmtop. Or a cell phone. It is also suitable for operating gaming devices, due to the genre’s large number of instantly available action or conversation encoding symbols. And, among its many other functions, perhaps Glancing-Pad’s most important application is that it can serve as a real time translator of glanced messages. Thus, while using audio output, people who speak different languages may converse with one another as if each one is fluent in the other person’s native tongue. Glancing-Pad’s exceptional portability and nimble speed prove essential for such functionality. Each Glancing-Pad may be personalized and made secure by being programmed to detect and react to a user’s unique glancing style. In addition, Glancing-Pad may be used to generate complex passwords for enhanced security. From thin to thick, hard to flexible, Glancing-Pad can be made to fit any appearance-based requirement, It may also be attached anywhere on the wear or remain hidden from view, allowing one to operate it discretely beneath one’s garments or in one’s pocket. Numerous technologies can be used to achieve Glancing-Pad’s desired functionality. Furthermore, Glancing-Pad contains no moving parts and its construction is entirely electronic. As a result, mass production of Glancing-Pad will be inexpensive and its supreme utilitarian and esthetic appeal will assure its general acceptance. Glancing-Pad’s encoding scheme reaches a limit of simplicity unseen in other devices, and no other applied scheme can outmatch its paucity of motion, smoothness and haptic/biomechanical naturalness. It is hard to realize what the limits of this new technology will be. Definitely, one is that improved man-machine communication will open venues for new activities and behaviors, and a new class of software devices will emerge advancing our capacity to interact with both the digital and real worlds.

Mini-gestures

In contrast to gesture interfaces, Glancing Pad is operated with a form of mini-gestures. These diminutive glancing motions will revolutionize human machine communication. Here is why and how. Quite recently the inevitability of keyboard decline took hold among the Big Players. Already, hand gestures are used in several marketed cellular telephones. After Steve demonstrated that it works, Bill himself recently admitted that people should and will be interacting with computers by using gestures. Other are lining up to join the party. Gestures are hot! Glancing, though a close relative to gestures, is fundamentally different and it is a far superior idea. Glances were never before considered for communicative purpose. Glancing opens a new field in human-machine interaction. The major strength of glancing lays in swiftness and shortness of motions required to operate the pad. Is the human hand capable of acquiring such a skill? The answer is a confident - Yes. Learning glancing starts by practicing the basic imaginary template. The freshly memorized motor skill is gradually refined through everyday use. With experience, the motions become instinctively automatic; new shortcuts and new ways to operate the Glancing Pad are discovered and established. Expert users will quickly develop the skill of mini-glances: because shorter motions are faster, this will further improve the speed of encoding. With persistent training, our hand musculature, as well as the controlling centers in the brain, will adapt to such diminutive motions. Although glances may be easily mastered by anyone, the most spectacular performers will be the younger users, benefiting by the early training. Single-handed use of Glancing Pad was heralded as its primary advantage, but the pad might be operated with both hands as well. Dividing the job between hands may further improve the encoding speed. back

Finger glide-and-touch encodes symbols

Glancing Pad has a built in capability to trace and record all fingertip motions in the vicinity of the pad surface, and to detect touches to its surface. Both the off-pad track and the touch are crucial for the Glancing Pad operation. During operation fingers trace an 'endless' loop, and the touch to the pad instructs the underlying program how to locate a symbol-encoding segment within the loop. Actually, the start and end of segments are closely tied to the time of touch (e.g. the segment begins 0.3 sec before and ends 0.05 sec after the touch). Along with initiating trajectory-processing, touch has another important role to play; it generates tactile information that the hand sensory apparatus sends to the brain. Such haptic feedback is necessary to precisely adjust the motion range, and especially the distances at which the fingers glide above the pad during the glance-encoding motions. Distancing of fingers from the pad has considerable tolerance range, but also has its limits; keeping the fingers too far above makes glancing less efficient, while being too close poses the risk of unintended touching. Good tactile feedback is necessary for the accuracy and confidence of user-performed encoding actions. Capability to track the position of all fingers when they glide above the pad is critical for Glancing Pad function because each finger position aids in establishing the identity of the finger that came in contact with the pad (the finger to actually encode the symbol). Tracking the motions of all fingers is necessary for quite another reason. If the data processing program encounters a defective or ambiguous trajectory, the accuracy of such trajectory may be verified and, if needed, corrected by analyzing and comparing traces produced by other fingers (notice that all the fingers of one hand tend to make a simultaneous and broadly similar motion). In situations when recorded signal is noisy or in any other way defective, such redundancy secures accurate decoding. back


Merging Technologies of Communication
(the voice box vs. hand)

Nothing is more disturbing than having to use a keyboard (keypad) when away from the desk. On the other hand, nothing beats the convenience of speech. People happen to never leave home without this precious little instrument, the voicebox. The question arises; can we use our voice to communicate with computers as easily as we communicate with each other? If not, is there any other way to emulate the comfort of speech, while having it easily interfaced with technology? Voice recognition technology has matured over the last decade and works impressively well today, but still it is, and will remain, far from perfect. Put simply, voice and computers don’t match. Pronunciations and accents differ even among siblings. There are personal idiosyncrasies and speech impediments. And interfacing voice with computers is a complex task; it requires a microphone, amplifiers, filters, and sophisticated software to analyze the recorded sound and translate it to text – altogether it takes a substantial chunk of hardware and a lot of computing power. Still the translation accuracy rate may never reach a full 100%, and it is easily and adversely affected by ambient noise, while generating audio noise of its own anytime when used. Finally, in order to make the voice-computer communication universally useful, every receipient device would have to be equipped with a standardized voice receiver/translator of its own. Such solution is obviously impossible, as the current voice recognition software cannot work well with all the voice variations of every potential user. The solution would be to design personal voice-computer data entry device, the personal voice commander, capable of of translating speech of a dedicated user into the machine language. Not so bad idea, again assuming near error free voice recognition. These are some among a number of reasons why the keyboard still remains our interface of choice. On the other hand, Glancing Pad, being simple, small and inconspicuous, is perfectly suited to serve as an autonomous universal data inputter. Direct hand generating of symbols removes the complexity and ambiguity of voice transcription. There are other advantages coming with this solution, such as automatic language correction; between-languages translation; automatic message encryption; direct access to computers allowing instantaneous browsing; ease of use; and the highly desirable feature of being noiseless and discrete. The latter will prove useful in meetings and in crowded, dark or otherwise difficult environments. Cell phone. The present day cell phone is actually a PDA with a phone capability - or the other way around. But wasn’t the telephone's original job to be connecting people acoustically together, and doesn't it hold true today? There are two essential components to the telephone: a speaker and a microphone, both of which may be conveniently contained within an earpiece. And, yes, some means of data entry would be required, but about that later. PDA The present day PDA is a hand-held computer. Every computer has to have a data entry interface. Hand-held devices use small keypads, generally intended for a thumb operation. Enlarging the keypad to allow two hand operation comes with the price of having to secure a sturdy support for the device. Because both the PDAs and cell phones require alphanumeric data entry, and from the early inception were considered indispensable, the natural progression was to fuse their functionalities into one box. This is where we are today. Deconstruction At present PDA-cellphone hybrids dominate the market, and whenever we want to talk we have to hold the whole box to our ear, and, whenever we want to write, we have to focus our entire attention on a tiny screen and on the Lilliputian keypad. Inevitably the further progress will require some radical changes: splitting and reconfiguring of the device. Here is a recipe of what should be done, in four easy steps: 1. The cell phone should become an earpiece. The speaker of the phone will double as a universal audio output for any other of our gadgets. 2. The screen should be arm-mounted (like a watch) or take a form of an eyeweare, to be easily carried around and looked at. 3. The computer itself, if not small enough to be merged with or hidden under the screen, should be pocketed and out of the way. 4. The data entry device should be a completely separate, uni-manually operated, easily accessible pad. This pad should function as a universal data entry interface, capable of communicating not only with our computers, but also with EVERY OTHER DEVICE in our technological environment.


Glancing breaks language barriers

Glancing-Pad allows people to communicate clearly with one another no matter where they live and what language they speak. Glancing can be converted instantly into voice or text messages, or both. Glancing further offers the possibility of live translation between people who speak different languages, allowing anybody to communicate, that is literally to chat with someone who doesn’t speak the same language without the need for translators or dictionaries. Just connect Glance-Pad to an audio output and your messages (with the help of an underlying translation program) can be instantly understood by anyone regardless of their native language. If they reciprocate in a similar way, they can be also easily and instantly understood. Exceptional portability and speed of pad-generated communication are essential for such functionality. Glance-Pad makes participating in the world affairs possible without the need to forego one’s native tongue. That way glancing will help to preserve native languages, even those that are currently spoken by only a few people worldwide. In addition, glancing offers obvious benefits for the hearing impaired, blind, and people with speech impediments, allowing them to deliver quickly and easily the precise verbal messages.

Glancing is exceptionally easy to learn

The key issue is whether Glancing-Pad has a chance to succeed while challenged by gesture or speech recognition technology. Despite undeniable utilitarian advantages, glancing is a new and complex skill, and winning the public acclaim might appear to depend on how difficult it is to learn. The fact is, learning glancing can be a very pleasant experience. Learning glancing is exceptionally advantaged by the combination of ease of operation and instantaneous feedback. The encoding rule for the user to learn is simple conceptually, and natural bio-mechanically. The electronic circuitry of Glancing-Pad responds to the minor movement of fingers by invoking symbols, which, subsequently converted to sounds may be spelled to users’ ears. Learning and memorization occur through repeated association of motions with the resultant sounds. There is no need for controlling or correcting finger positions. There is even no need to consciously attend to the task. Glancing never produces fatigue, either physical or mental. The device can be used amidst most daily activities. Learning can be undertaken either leisurely or intensely. Playing computer games involving glancing can further accelerate its progression. Through practice, glancing motions evolve into fluid all-finger activity. The design takes advantage of our brain capability to program stereotyped motor actions for a number of steps in advance, preparing motions for sequential rapid execution. Glance-Pad’s encoding standard assures not only the top speed, but also the broadest margin of separation between the encoding formants, a feature that further promotes learning. Finally, the requirement for learning shouldn't be considered a setback for quite another reason. New scientific evidence indicates that perpetual learning of new skills is beneficial and even necessary, it enhances and preserves the brain function. Read the NYT article 'Exercise Your Brain, or Else You’ll ... Uh ... ' by Katie Hafner, Published: May 3, 2008


Evolution of Symbol Encoding Technology

What is so special about glancing? Let’s see it in historical perspective. First, there were broken twigs, arranged stones, sand marks communicating and preserving information of early humans. Then came marks scraped on tree trunks and stone walls. Those were followed by primitive paintings of animal and human figurines. With time those paintings became less realistic and more symbolic. That was the dawn of writing. The procedure was slow, marginaly informative and required a lot of physical effort. That physical aspect of information transfer remains true even today. Writing was, and still is all about moving our hands and fingers to produce permanent symbolic traces on various plain surfaces. The typewriter, invented more than 150 years ago, mechanized and sped up the process. Hand, and specifically finger motion, no longer reproduced the shape of the symbols. Encoding became spatial/positional. Movements used to shape written symbols were replaced by stereotyped motions toward the keys. With machine mechanism generating the actual symbols, speed and quality of records improved. The computer keyboard, a direct descendant of the venerable typewriter keyboard, improved significantly on the formation and handling of symbols. The ergonomics and the basic performance speed, however, only changed marginally. Need for better data input brought about numerous attempts at improving the symbol-encoding interface. While writing is one-handed, typing was, in affect, a regression, making text generation a two-handed operation. Recent developments are directed toward eliminating the need for two-handed data entry. These new designs, so called chording keyboards, use fingers of one hand to operate on a small number of keys, while still retaining the capacity to generate a complete set of characters of the alphabet. Such result was made possible by using combined synchronous finger presses, similar to chords being played on a piano. Operating a one-handed device comes with additional advantages: previously used extensive two-handed motions were replaced by short range punches, and to operate chording keyboards the visual control became neither possible nor necessary. However, chording motions are not neuro-bio-mechanically natural, making them cumbersome and inefficient, and adversely affecting their popularity. Finally, along comes a new twist in the way we communicate with the machines - gesturing. Gestures presently used in several commercial implementations are hand motions against the touch pad, performed with one or both hands and/or with differently configured fingers. This method is generally unsuited for encoding letters of the alphabet, and such devices play only supportive role to keyboards. Such gestures are related if not derived from gestures of the sign language, which, incidentally, have also been attempted to be electronically harvested for communicative purposes. Glancing Pad is the first in an entirely new direction: eliminating the keys altogether. It uses tiny stereotyped motions performed as finger-sweeps over and onto the detector pad. The encoding rule is simple: each finger of a hand is assigned a different set of eight symbols, and invokes these symbols by performing one of eight simple movements (glances). Encoding is not spatial/positional because there are no keys. Instead, it relies on the extreme dexterity of the hand to easily produce distinctly patterned 2-D movements. In essence, Glancing Pad is a form of scribbling with the fingertips


Glances, chords, gestures…

Although Glancing Pad continually traces motions of all fingers, encoding is done one finger at a time. The question may be posed: Why not use the multi-finger encoding scheme, involving, for example, glances performed simultaneously with two or more fingers? Multi-finger encoding is used in other interfaces. It is represented in a wide array of chording devices, constructed specifically to generate text. Entirely different multi-finger activity is represented by multi-touch gesture devices (e.g. the I-Phone interface). Although gesture techniques are not suited for text output, they usefully enhance the keyboard operation. Glancing Pad combines keyboard, mouse and gesture functions, and was designed for speed and ease of operation. In its glancing mode (the object of my patent), it takes advantage of the fact that the human brain operates fastest when issuing simple sequential actions. The brain is capable of controlling several actions at once, processing in a parallel mode, but not without a price: the more complex the motion is, which is true of most chording motions, the more slowly it is being executed, and the more effort it takes. Glancing though, having the advantage of being simple and sequential, is easy and fast. Nevertheless, it is possible and sometimes desirable to use slower multi-finger glances to assist and expand on the standard set of Glancing Pad encoding motions. No doubt, in the future, the practice of glancing will lead to the development of one all-encompassing communicative technique: combining glances proper, multi-finger glances, taps, chording touches and gestures; fusing them all into a communication system of unmatched versatility and precision.


Glancing-pad is changing the ways of advertising

The goal of advertisers is to attract consumers, however, swamping them with unwelcome and lengthy messages can have the opposite effect. In an ideal advertising world, the message would be unobtrusive, targeted, informative and interactive. Digital media promised to revolutionize our transactions, but still any progress is halted by slow and cumbersome means of finding and accessing the information about the products wee seek. Glancing-Pad offers to enhance human-computer interactive ability enormously, among others changing the ways we do business and advertising. The most annoying aspect of advertising is how it provides little more than a noisy intrusion of irrelevant information. This quality has been remedied by making advertising interactive, in a manner similar to the way targeted advertising works in Google. Glancing-Pad takes that notion one step further by offering the advantages of portability and speed. Because Glancing-Pad can be used anywhere, advertisements are no longer bound by physical space or time. One can sweep an entire spectrum of online advertisements in only a minute and in that time receive a short annunciation of product availability and even request additional details if needed. That means people no longer have to waste time listening to entire ads, waiting for them to end to receive the information they wish to learn. Advertisers may receive instantaneous feedback anywhere we are and at any time. With Glancing-Pad the time wasted for advertisement can now be used to make an actual transaction.


Glancing-Pad at a Glance

Briefest summary of the invention: FOUR-FINGER SCRIBBLE (yes, glancing is a form of hand writing -- assisted by digital technology)

Consider these facts:

  • handwriting - slow, involves pen, paper and a flat steady surface;
  • keyboards - require sturdy support for the device, seated position and the device within reach of both hands, produces repetitive motion injury;
  • chord devices - slow, mostly electromechanical, cumbersome, hard to learn, and hard on hands;
  • speech recognition - interpretation problems, awkward, slow, fail in noisy environments. All permutations of these devices are slow, unreliable or un-ergonomic.

Now consider these facts:

  • Glancing-Pad is the most efficacious human-computer interface to date
  • Glancing-Pad is radically new, innovative and different to what anyone has used before
  • Glancing-Pad can be operated with one hand
  • GlanceingPad is easy, natural, second-nature
  • Glancing-Pad makes training easy, fast and fun
  • GlanceingPad is especially suitable for operating gaming devices
  • Glancing-Pad is fast, fluid, reliable, ergonomical, unobtrusive, silent, esthetic
  • Glancing-Pad will work under nearly any conditions
  • Glancing-Pad is ideal companion for a wearable computer
  • Glancing-Pad unlocks the only encoding scheme which allows speed-of-thought capability that challenges speech itself
  • Glancing pad will contribute to our efforts to prevent global warming, speeding up transition to a paperless society
  • Glancing-Pad will become iconic and a must-have tool as well as the latest fashion item

Glancing-Pad will become as ubiquitous as Coca-Cola and I-Pods!


Still unconvinced? Read this

Feeling skeptical about glancing? Or perhaps you experience a failure of foresight. History has proven time and again, that many initially hard to imagine new skills, behaviors, and improvements later become perfectly natural, even trivial activities. Human bodies are adaptive and incredibly capable. I have an enormous trust in the capacity of the human hand. The communicative utility of the vocal apparatus is amazing, but nothing beats the hand. Both the complexity and adaptive usefulness of this - actually the most important ‘output apparatus’ of our body - is unique. We rarely think about it in such terms but any ordinary everyday hand action is conveying our mind’s communication, whether it is to manipulate objects, to write, or to signal with gestures. Thus, with technology making our signaling nimble and gentle, the hand will gain a new capacity for the real time, speech-like communication. As to the singing, yelling and screaming – it will better be done the old way, vocally. There is an increasing need for a new human-machine communication medium. While information itself is 'weightless', we tap our keyboards forcefully enough to play a marching drumbeat. That has to change. The most important aspect of glancing is its fineness. Lesser force means reduced fatigue and tissue damage. Miniature motions translate to speed. We don’t have to wave our hands over keyboards anymore to send the messages; we may just barely noticeably wiggle our fingers. Glancing uncovers this amazing, still untapped capacity, which, with the help of modern technology, will be used to elevate our communication to the level we deserve and expect in the 21st century. Although the glancing motions belong to an ordinary motion variety, nevertheless this marvel of design, our hand, is not naturally ready to glance. The glancing skill, like all skills, has to be acquired by learning and practice. But, people will quickly adapt and wonder why it wasn’t thought of before.

Try to imagine it, it’s worth it

I understand that it takes a leap of faith and imagination to envision how glancing works, since it is an unprecedented and unique creation. The ultimate goal was to produce the best interface connecting the mind to the outside world, a speedy thought-relay capable of challenging, or even outperforming, speech itself. Finding the right encoding scheme proved to be the key to unlock that capacity. The result is Glancing-Pad; the next step in communication revolution.

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